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I've not been actively involved for about two years, but I am still on the membership role of our local Boy Scout Troop and still support them where I can (show up on one or two outings a year and give money, buy popcorn...). I had hoped that I would be able to become more active again at some point in the future. This week I'll be writing a letter to have my membership dropped.

BSA National has taken the position of a coward; yet teaches that "a Scout is brave". They have walked away from the fight and left it to many smaller individual units and charter organizations, which opens these individual units up to lawsuits and you know most do not have the resources to fight the likes of the ACLU in a lawsuit.

This will be the end of The Boy Scouts of America.

So disappointed.

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Many years ago, as a new adult scouter the thought of showering with a gay man in a gang shower really bothered me. Well, all of the summer camp or camps I have attended that would require me to shower have installed private showers, or shower stalls.

Follow youth protection guide lines and it is all good.

BTW, sthumper, there is some historical data that led some to believe that Powell was a repressed homosexual.

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If your pastor wants to keep the ban on gays, you can keep the ban on gays. That is what the new policy says. I don't see it conflicting with the mission of the Church.

Also all I found was one So. Baptist professor who made a comment. I don't know how centralized So. Baptist churches are (I gather not very) but I have not seen a comment from a central organization about this(This message has been edited by bnelon44)

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this is a good thing. its time to have a conversation with your CO and decide what you policy is going to be. It gives a tighter relationship with unit and CO. It gives people choices to what type of unit they are interested in being a member of.

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The scouts/scouters in our family be wearing a piece of tape over "Boy Scouts of America" on our uniforms until this bad idea has been discarded as a silent protest. I will write "morally straight" on mine to be clear why I'm not "uniformly" supporting this decision.

If BSA adopts a policy such a liberal radical policy we'll leave.

Friends of Scouting donations have ceased until those responsible for pushing this forward resign and this proposal is abandoned.

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Our church CO will not agree with National's position. Yes, I realize COs will still be able to select and approve their own leaders and members but I'm not sure our CO will want to be aligned with a National organization that approves of membership standards that conflict with the CO beliefs.

If the BSA is looking for a smaller organization, they have found a quick path to get there.

I've been a active scout leader for a small 7 years now and currently serve as CM of a great Pack. I've enjoyed the ride and the friendships I've made. Today, I'm not feeling good about the BSA and my membership in it. Not feeling good at all.

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"Really. CO's have given their ok to this. You don't look at the news much do you. Southern baptist is up in arms about it, threatening to pull, or advise their members to to pull their CO status. Catholic is fairly limited comment, but it sounds as if it is leaning towards following the baptists, just not as vocal. Mormans--I bet they start their own.(edit--my bad--Mormans already allow gays)

When i became SM two years ago, my paster told me that he is supportive of the Boy Scouts, as long as it does not conflict with catholic values. This greatly conflicts with catholic values in my opinion. We are considered a ministry of the church. The church is not going to support a ministry that is so openly counter to its beliefs. So, my 50 boy scouts, and the 100 or so cub scouts may lose a CO. I bet it is just a start. "

Dennis: As a Catholic I don't follow your opinion. The Church believes Homosexual activity is wrong. Yet it preaches that we should love everyone. Rather than turn the Homosexual person away, Catholics are to embrace them, and help them lead a more Catholic life. Obviously this means a homosexual who wants to be Catholic must refrain from Homosexual Activities.

Regardless a Catholic Church can still deny Gay leaders and boys in their programs if they want to. More likely than not the gay members are already there eh?

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"If your pastor wants to keep the ban on gays, you can keep the ban on gays. That is what the new policy says. I don't see it conflicting with the mission of the Church. "

You may not see it as being a conflct but many COs will. Part of our CO's mission is to align with organizations they can partner with that support their mission and the BSA, up until now, has fit well in that partnership. Public perception of the National organziation does trickle down to the local Troops/Packs.

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"Really. CO's have given their ok to this. You don't look at the news much do you. Southern baptist is up in arms about it, threatening to pull, or advise their members to to pull their CO status. Catholic is fairly limited comment, but it sounds as if it is leaning towards following the baptists, just not as vocal. Mormans--I bet they start their own.(edit--my bad--Mormans already allow gays)

When i became SM two years ago, my paster told me that he is supportive of the Boy Scouts, as long as it does not conflict with catholic values. This greatly conflicts with catholic values in my opinion. We are considered a ministry of the church. The church is not going to support a ministry that is so openly counter to its beliefs. So, my 50 boy scouts, and the 100 or so cub scouts may lose a CO. I bet it is just a start. "

Dennis: As a Catholic I don't follow your opinion. The Church believes Homosexual activity is wrong. Yet it preaches that we should love everyone. Rather than turn the Homosexual person away, Catholics are to embrace them, and help them lead a more Catholic life. Obviously this means a homosexual who wants to be Catholic must refrain from Homosexual Activities.

Regardless a Catholic Church can still deny Gay leaders and boys in their programs if they want to. More likely than not the gay members are already there eh?

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Right now, as we speak there are churches, diametrically opposed in theology who sponsor Boy Scout troops

My Baptist Sister in Law just knows we Catholics, or as she put it "You catholics" are some of the greatest heretics of all time and a cult. Yet Baptist and Catholic Troops belong to the same DIstrict, Council Etc. Jewish, Mulslim, Catholic, Baha'i churches all sponsor troops and could camp next to each other. Unless the unit flag says we have gay leaders, how would you know? How do you know now?

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I don't find homosexuals any more immoral than I do the married couple committing adultery at a Wood Badge weekend. It's not about their sexual preference, it's about their values and behavior. Your beliefs don't make you a better person, your behavior does.

I don't see this infringing on a charter's ability to choose its leadership or membership. I also don't see this as selling out our values to an agenda by homosexuals. Maybe it's about the BSA being brave and making a decision that truly reflects diversity and inclusiveness and not just words in a book?

My Council has been denied access to our school system for over 10 years due to the membership requirement. We have missed the opportunity to teach young people about the outdoors, leadership and values because of this. If they proceed with the local option, I see us once again being able to have scools as charters and being able to recruit.

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I note that the United Methodist Church will be giving re-charter instructions AFTER the decision so that could be a bell-weather.

I know folks on both sides of that discussion and the "perversion files" fall out did considerable damage.

I have mixed feelings about openly gay leaders but think it is fair to not discriminate against boys. I do not like dealing with boys and heterosexuality as it is! (Had to crack down on the older boys instructing the younger ones on proper "fapping" technique. Were shocked I knew what the word meant--saw it on my word-a-day Urban dictionary someone gave me at work)

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TT you would hold a gay leader to the same expectation of a hetero leader.

Married or not would you have the SM and his wife making out at the campfire with the boys present??? or how about sex on an outing????? nope.

I will say I am not comfortable with a gay SM in make up on the flag quad any more than a lesbian with the biker wallet and crew haircut. Just conversations I am not ready to have with my son at 6-12 years old....